Gas Tax for Bridges a Wash for Bush
Picture courtesy of the White House
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 — President Bush said today that he would be opposed to any steps by Congress to increasing the gasoline tax to raise revenues for national bridge repairs in the wake of last week’s bridge collapse in Minneapolis.
And at his last major news conference before his summer vacation, he lashed out at Democrats in Congress by questioning their priorities and motives on everything from taxes to their accusations of contempt against Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.
“Before we raise taxes, which could affect economic growth, I would strongly urge the Congress to examine how they set priorities,” Mr. Bush said.
“My suggestion would be that they revisit the process by which they spend gasoline money in the first place,” he added, accusing lawmakers of focusing on their own parochial concerns — or plum projects — above such national concerns as bridge conditions.
Representative Don Young, Republican of Alaska and a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, has raised the possibility of increasing the gasoline tax as a way to pay for bridge repairs throughout the country in the wake of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, which raised new concerns about potential problems with a number of the nation’s bridges. A plan being considered by the House committee would index the current gasoline tax for inflation, which would result in an increase of roughly 5 cents. - New York Times
Not that I am in favor of any new taxes but if the money to rebuild our nations “Deficient” bridges has to come from somewhere then it should be from those of us that use the bridges every single day that should belly up to the bar. With every single state looking at the same crisis as Minnesota, it does not take more than two eggs with toast and a cup of coffee to figure out who should pay for the rebuilding effort. My only problem with that tax levy scenario at the gas pump is that I frankly do not trust the Feds or the States to spend the money solely on bridge repairs and replacement. You and I both know that down the road the budget for bridge repairs will be hijacked by terrorist legislators to pay for something useless to the people that will continue to pay the tax at the pump.
Living in the state with the “Big Dig” self collapsing tunnel I tend to think there just might be a little bit of corruption and thievery when it comes to any project of this magnitude. Maybe the Congress could fix it but that would not serve their purpose. Rebuilding bridges across America would funnel billions in political donations into the coffers of political campaigns where the money would serve to perpetuate the crimes that would be committed to win the contracts. Meanwhile the bridges we are all paying for at the pump are still rotting ten and fifteen or fifty years down the road.
Not to worry my friends, there is an answer that is without a doubt that will fix this troubling problem. Money will not be wasted, bridges will be repaired and replaced. As soon as Dick Cheney returns from his vacation I’m sure that a new division of Haliburton will be building no bid contract bridges in a town near you soon.
I feel better. How about you?
Papamoka
While Minneapolis is still diving for bodies our fearless pretend conservative President is threatening a veto on any gasoline tax to repair or replace many of our nations bridges. Apparently, Haliburton does not have a bridge repair or rebuilding unit and this tax will only hurt… ummm, give me a second? I’m not sure of the real answer to that question but I have a crack team of coffee shop prize winning economists working on it. As I’m sure the President does too or then again maybe not?
Every single state in this country is looking at the same problem and the problem is Bush. Our President hates bridges because it is a passing phrase for Clinton Democrats and all that hog wash of building new bridges to the new century.
So the logic of my thoughts is that President Bush blames Hillary Clinton because Bill Clinton rebuilt all the bridges just a few years ago. The bridges actually do not need to be repaired or replaced according to my Bush theory. Democrats just want to double dip into our nations treasury once more to rebuild the century again. I’m sure there are graphs and charts out there that prove his point. President Bush probably has a top notch team of graphic artist working on it as you read this post. Then again school supplies are in tight demand right now as many parents face the onslaught of the new school year coming.
Over at the New York Times they have this interesting story on why it’s the newly elected Democrats fault from the President’s perspective for our nations aging bridges not needing repairs or replacement.
Bush Opposes Raising Gas Tax for Bridge Repairs
By JIM RUTENBERG
Published: August 9, 2007
Every single state in this country is looking at the same problem and the problem is Bush. Our President hates bridges because it is a passing phrase for Clinton Democrats and all that hog wash of building new bridges to the new century.
So the logic of my thoughts is that President Bush blames Hillary Clinton because Bill Clinton rebuilt all the bridges just a few years ago. The bridges actually do not need to be repaired or replaced according to my Bush theory. Democrats just want to double dip into our nations treasury once more to rebuild the century again. I’m sure there are graphs and charts out there that prove his point. President Bush probably has a top notch team of graphic artist working on it as you read this post. Then again school supplies are in tight demand right now as many parents face the onslaught of the new school year coming.
Over at the New York Times they have this interesting story on why it’s the newly elected Democrats fault from the President’s perspective for our nations aging bridges not needing repairs or replacement.
Bush Opposes Raising Gas Tax for Bridge Repairs
By JIM RUTENBERG
Published: August 9, 2007
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 — President Bush said today that he would be opposed to any steps by Congress to increasing the gasoline tax to raise revenues for national bridge repairs in the wake of last week’s bridge collapse in Minneapolis.
And at his last major news conference before his summer vacation, he lashed out at Democrats in Congress by questioning their priorities and motives on everything from taxes to their accusations of contempt against Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.
“Before we raise taxes, which could affect economic growth, I would strongly urge the Congress to examine how they set priorities,” Mr. Bush said.
“My suggestion would be that they revisit the process by which they spend gasoline money in the first place,” he added, accusing lawmakers of focusing on their own parochial concerns — or plum projects — above such national concerns as bridge conditions.
Representative Don Young, Republican of Alaska and a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, has raised the possibility of increasing the gasoline tax as a way to pay for bridge repairs throughout the country in the wake of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, which raised new concerns about potential problems with a number of the nation’s bridges. A plan being considered by the House committee would index the current gasoline tax for inflation, which would result in an increase of roughly 5 cents. - New York Times
Not that I am in favor of any new taxes but if the money to rebuild our nations “Deficient” bridges has to come from somewhere then it should be from those of us that use the bridges every single day that should belly up to the bar. With every single state looking at the same crisis as Minnesota, it does not take more than two eggs with toast and a cup of coffee to figure out who should pay for the rebuilding effort. My only problem with that tax levy scenario at the gas pump is that I frankly do not trust the Feds or the States to spend the money solely on bridge repairs and replacement. You and I both know that down the road the budget for bridge repairs will be hijacked by terrorist legislators to pay for something useless to the people that will continue to pay the tax at the pump.
Living in the state with the “Big Dig” self collapsing tunnel I tend to think there just might be a little bit of corruption and thievery when it comes to any project of this magnitude. Maybe the Congress could fix it but that would not serve their purpose. Rebuilding bridges across America would funnel billions in political donations into the coffers of political campaigns where the money would serve to perpetuate the crimes that would be committed to win the contracts. Meanwhile the bridges we are all paying for at the pump are still rotting ten and fifteen or fifty years down the road.
Not to worry my friends, there is an answer that is without a doubt that will fix this troubling problem. Money will not be wasted, bridges will be repaired and replaced. As soon as Dick Cheney returns from his vacation I’m sure that a new division of Haliburton will be building no bid contract bridges in a town near you soon.
I feel better. How about you?
Papamoka
Please feel free to steal this piece...
My friend over at Specious Reasoning is talking about this issue too!
Labels: Bridge Collapse, Bridge Repair, Bridges, Bush, Business, Gasoline, Highways, Minneapolis, Rebuilding Infrastructure, Roads, Taxes
posted by Papamoka at
6:50 PM
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